Undergarment



Jan. 22, 1952 w. s. MVURPHY, JR

UNDERGARMENT 2 SHEETS-S "'ET 1 Filed June 4, 1948 HTTURNEYS w. G. MURPHY, JR

UNDERGARMENT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Jan. 22, 1952 Filed June 4, 1948 Patented Jan. 22, 1 952 UNITED STATES rare-NT orrics UNDE'RGARMENT William urphy. Jn. North Hollywood, one. 7 Application June 4, 1948. Serial No- 31,0 5

1Claim.

. .1 This invention relates to improvements in girdlesand like feminine undergarments, and in particular to a garment which gives firm support and smooths the figure at the abdomen, hips, and. other body portions underlying th rm n while providing maxi-mum comfort and freedom of bodymove ment."

I A garmenticonstructed pursuant to the invention produces a flattening or smoothing of the figure byai lifting and supporting of the flesh over wide elastic areas whose lines of action angularly intersect at the front and rear of the garment.

Contemporary girdles attempt to attain the advantages inherent in the instant invention by the use of stifieners or bones/or by variously arranged reinforcing panels and inserts. The support given to the body parts by such garments depends lar ely upon localized pressures exerted by the reinforcements. The action of these reinforcements is frequently in conflict with muscularmovement and the dimensional changes of the body when the wearer is walking or sitting, with resultant discomfort to the wearer. l ,My garment is constructed from panels of stretchable material so arranged and secured one to the other as to provide. balanced, distributed, elastic areas which'produce a smooth distribution of the flesh rather than a direct pressure there on. .These support areas intersect: for example, there. i a zone. or area of elastic action which extends from each, going diagonally upwardly across the .diaphragm'andthe opposite hip to a point of fanchorage at approximatel the center of the rear waistline. In one form of the garment, there is another zone of action which extends from above each buttock downwar ly across the opposite hip to a terminus at substantially the center of the lower front edgeof the garment. These supporting actions are balanced,

because the respective panels of the garment.

are symmetrical and the resulting smoothing and distributing effect is substantially the same at each side of the garment. The angularly intersecting, yieldable support areas do not unnaturally interfere with body movement,- and the garment-1s comfortable as well as physiologically beneficial. r

Another beneficial advantage in garments constructed according to the present invention is that one manufactured to a certain waistsize will accommodate a Wider range of hip and waist sizes without alteration, and without developing local .areas...0f. loose'ness. or tightness. than con- (Cl. 2H37) temporary garments. This is attributed in large measure to the crosswise supporting action and the self-adjustment of the upper and lower thigh portions of the garment provided by the arrangement and securement of the panels comprising the garment.

A typical garment embodying the present invention is formed basically from two generally triangular elements which are arranged in opposed apex relationship so that the base of one such element defines the lower marginal edge of the garment and the base of the other defines the upper mar inal edge-for example, the waistline.thereof. In the embodiment of the invention hereinafter described, each triangular element is formed from two overlapping panels; but one of the. elements may comprise a single triangular piece of material, elastic or non-elastic, as desired, The element or elements which are formed from verlappin anels e made o elastic material which may be of several commercial types; for example. lastic m t ri s with rub er in the w p a d n11; mat rial wi h he rubber only in the warp (known in the trade as Leno) and net materials which stretch in any direction orin only one direction.

It is therefore an ob ect of t invention t provide n i prov d ga m n w i h l g Proper figure] support without unduly limiting body movement It is another object to provide a foundation garment such as a girdle or corselette. which affords a balanced and substantialy uniform smoothing and distribution of the flesh beneath the garment, rather than localized pressure and confinement.

Still another object is that of providing a garnent such as a girdle which will satisfactorily fit a relatively wide range of waist and hip sizes, thus requiring a minimum of alteration when the garment is being fitted to the wearer.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter be described.

Reference is had to the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective of the girdle, as worn, looking toward the right hip of the wearer; Fig. 2 is a similar perspective View, looking toward the left hip of the wearer;

. "Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view; V

4 is an exploded perspective of the several segments or panels which comprise the girdle;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of two panels assembled to. provide the front panel of the girdle; and

Fig. 6 is a composite view showing the patterns for the panels laid out on cloth for cutting.

Referring initially to Fig. 4, a typical garment embodying the present invention comprises four panels, respectively an outer front panel l0, an under-front panel H, an under rear panel 12 and an outer rear panel M. The panels are preferably all of identical material, and may have substantially equal stretch in both the warp and weft directions, or stretch only in one direction.

Depending upon the type of material, the patterns for the several panels, which have been designated similarly, but with the exponent p, are laid on the fabric 5, see Fig. 6, so that what is known as the straight of the stretch of the fabric is parallel to the arrows shown on the respective pattern sections.

When the garment is worn, the straight of the stretch will therefore be angularly upwardly, as indicated by the broken arrows in Fig. l. The arrangement of Fig. 6 is typical of a stretchable material which is known in the trade as Leno, and as well understood by those skilled in the art, materials which have other stretch characteristics will require a slight modification in the placing of the patterns so as to derive a suitable angular relationship of the direction of stretch.

The pairs of front and rear panels arearranged in overlapping relationship, producing a substantially triangular front and rear assembly. Fig. 5 represents such a front assembly. As appears from Fig. 6, the pairs of front and rear panels are symmetrical; and it is therefore immaterial whether the front assembly is arranged with its apex pointing downwardlyin which event the rear triangular assembly will be apex up-or in respectively inverted position. Considering, then, that Fig. 4 represents but one possible arrangement or assembly of the respective panels, it will be noted that the top front panel H! has a continuous side edge of which the portion It will substantially overlie and follow the groin of the wearerthe groin being considered in this instance as the fold or depression demarking between the lower part of the abdomen and the thigh-and the portion lBa will continue across the hip and about the waist to a point I8 at approximately the center of the rear waistline. Similarly the panel I! has a side edge of which the part 20 extends from a point at the lower groin and the part 2011 continues across the hip to a point 22 at the center of the rear waistline. As shown in Fig. 5, the respective panels are overlapped and secured so that the edge 23 of panel l overlies and is secured to the edge portion 20 of panel H, and the edge 24 of the panel ll underlies and is secured to the edge portion N of the panel Ill. The upper edges 25, 26 respectively of panels l0 and H overlap at the front of the garment, and collectively define the waistline of the garment except for a short gap at the rear of the garment which is completed by the rear panels as later described.

The edge 21 of panel II is stitched to the overlying portion of panel [0, and the edge 28 of panel I0 is stitched to the underlying portion of panel II, as appears in Fig. 5.

In similar fashion, the panels l2 and I4 are assembled to form the composite substantially triangular rear portion of the garment. An edge portion 30, of panel l2, will align with the side edge portions 23. 20, of panels l0 and H, and will extend along the groin therewith; the continuation 30a of said side edge extends to a point 3| which is coincident with the point 22 of panel H. The respective edges 20a, and 30a are in registry.

The edge portion 33 of panel l4 will align with the edge portions I6 and 24 of panels l0 and II; the continuation 33a of panel [4 extends to a point 34 which is coincident with the point 18 of panel [0. It will be seen that the respective panel portions between the points 3| and 34 overlap, and complete the waistline. The rear assembly has a double thickness, diamond shaped area corresponding to that formed by the overlapping panels at the front of the garment (compare Figs. 2 and 3). The notches 31, 38 provide for the slide fastener or other closure 40, it being understood that said closure may be variously located without deviation from the inventive concept of the garment.

The respective bottom edges 4|, 42 constitute the lower edge of the garment, and extend about the thighs of the wearer.

In completing the garment, the pairs of front and rear panels are stitched together along their free edges as follows: The edge portion 30 of the panel I2 is secured to the edge 23 of panel 10 and the edge 20 of panel II. The edge 43 of panel l4, which had previously been secured to the panel I2, is fastened at its upper corner to the edge portions 23 of panel l0 and 20 of panel H. The edge 44 of panel I4 is stitched to the edge 20a of panel H and 30a of panel I2, and also is secured to the upper ends of edge portions 23 and 20.

The edge 45 of panel 12 is stitched to panel l4; edge 33 of panel I4 is stitched to the aligned edge portions I6, 24 of panels I0 and II. Edge portions 33a and 46 of panels l4 and I2 attach to the edge portion [6a of panel II).

It will be noted by comparison of Figs. 1 and 2 that whereas there are continuous seam lines along the groins and across the hips to the upper back waistline, the seam lines from the buttocks to the navel are interrupted. The seam lines 43 and 45 are purposely at a lesser angle with respect to the horizontal than are seam lines 28 and 21, to provide the most advantageous line of support for the buttocks. Another advantage of the offset or interrupted seam is to eliminate the concentration of the ends of the several panels, thus to prevent a multiple fabric area which would produce an unsightly protrusion at the hip of the wearer when worn.

It will be noted also that at the upper and lower portions of the thighs there is but a single. substantially triangular thickness of material; the double thickness is restricted to the diamond shaped control areas at the front and rear of the garment.

Examination of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 discloses clearly that the panel arrangement pursuant to the invention provides intersecting areas of support at the front and rear, and at each side of the garment. There is an upwardly directed lifting action extending from each groin, across the diaphragm, and thence about the opposite hip to an anchor point at the rear center waistline, and corresponding angular lines of support extending across the buttocks and angularly downwardly to an anchor point at the central portion of the front hemline. These last-named lines of support commence at the respective 1 seam lines 20a30a-44 and I 6a3346, and pass. downwardly across each other and about therespectively opposite hips.

Comfort to the wearer while walking, sitting, or bending, is assured by. the absence of bones or stiffeners, and the mutually opposed, triangular single thickness areas at the sides of the garment. It is apparent from the drawing that the base of each upper single-thickness triangle comprises a large portion of the waistline; and correspondingly, the base of each lower single-thickness triangle comprehends the full Width of the thigh of the wearer. As the waistlin increases while sitting, or the girth of the thigh increases while walking or stooping, the appropriate single-thickness areas freely yield, while the double-thickness panels continue to effect their intended smoothing and supporting action.

Although the invention has been described by making a full detailed reference to the certain presently preferred embodiments, such detail of description is to be understood in an instructive rather than a limiting sense, many changes being possible within the scope of the claim hereto appended.

I claim:

A girdle having a waist encircling upper edge and a thigh and buttocks encirling lower edge and front and rear sections, each of the front and rear sections comprising a pair of panels of material extendible in at least one direction, a double layer front central area formed by an overlap of the pair of panels of the front section, means securing the overlapped front panels together, a triangular single layer portion of each of the front panels adjacent the upper edge thereof, each of the triangular portions extending rearwardly of said girdle in a single layer from the double layer front central area on opposite sides of and adjacent to said waist encircling upper edge, an edge of each of said triangular single layer portions being adjacent to said body encircling upper edge, a double layer rear central areaformed by an overlap of the panels of the rear section, means securing the overlapped rear panels together, a triangular single layer portion on each of the rear panels adjacent the lower edge thereof, each of the rear panel triangular portionsextending forwardly of the girdle in a single layer from the double layer rear central area adjacent to said lower edge whereby the double layer front central area is positionable over the lower abdomen of the wearer and the double layer rear central area is positionable over the buttocks of the wearer, the single layer portions of the front panels are positionable around the waist of the wearer and the single layer portions of the rear panel are positionable over the outside of the upper thigh of the wearer.

WILLIAM G. MURPHY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

